It is one of the best and most comprehensive books on this topic, but a very easy read. What I love about this new approach to exercise is that we are truly all an experiment of one, therefore we should not all train the same way or even recover the same way. You have to find the balance that works for you...that can be the biggest challenge of all!

Thank you for all the great responses. I'm generally a very competitive person and need to realize running is for my health and well being not just placing in my age group. Today I ran 3.5 on the treadmill and felt great. I have been drinking more water the last couple of days and I think that has helped too. I am going to cut back some and add more non impact cardio and see how things go. Thank you everyone!

I thought I'd add my own two cents to this discussion. I've been running for about four years and do 5K events for fun. Didn't have a problem until this year - trouble breathing, heavy legs and just general fatigue. I got a clean bill of health because I was concerned something bad was going on.

This year has been extremely stressful and I've come to the conclusion that my body just didn't want to run. I switched to biking and have thoroughly enjoyed the change (and speed!). Not sure if I can go back to running at a snail's pace :)

My plan is to give running a try again in the spring- start slow and just enjoy it. Thanks for the info on stress, Nancy. It can really affect our overall health.

"A bicycle ride is a flight from sadness."  James E. Starrs, The Literary Cyclist

"We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom." -Sir Roger Bannister, first runner to run a sub-4 minute mile

Nancy, What you just shared is why my doctor suggested I just stay with 5Ks. It's also why I never suggest specialty dieting or any dieting for that matter to others. I have a good pulse on what my body reacts well to but haven't a clue to others. I'm also not qualified. I made a bad call with running. Playing college football meant nothing as well, especially 40 years ago! I always suggest a person work with their doctor. It's a safe move. I'm still learning about recovery and it's importance. Thanks again for your input.

Monty, Team Leader *SparkPeople's 5K Your Way Running Challenge*Spark Triathlon Team *Spark Florida - The Official Team

I was watching the news today and they were talking about how there is no standard diet that works for ALL of us...that's primarily because our bodies are genetically different, therefore our response to cutting calories and expending calories vary widely.

I believe the same is true for exercise, but especially for running. For this reason, I despise monthly running challenges (don't get me wrong, I think having your own individual mileage challenge is fine), but to see who can get the most mileage in a 30 to 31 day cycle can be quite detrimental to one's running and more importantly their health. The reason...some runners can maintain a low mileage base and achieve huge rewards while others can run 120 miles a month and never have any injury issues, but show little return for their running investment.

To take away the recovery aspect to running is like running your car day in and day out without ever changing the oil, having the regular maintenance done...while you may not have any issues at first, there will become a time the car will begin to break down. You can't get angry at the situation if you failed to take the measures in keeping your car running. Same is true for our bodies...when we fail to listen to the cues that something isn't right, sooner than later, injuries will start to arise and you can't get angry, if you failed to take the steps needed to keep your body well.

Good stuff, Coach! I learned that on SP. If I have a prob, see a dr. That's what I do now and will continue to do. The same for training. I also appreciate the tell tale signs of heavy legs. Thanks for your input.

Monty, Team Leader *SparkPeople's 5K Your Way Running Challenge*Spark Triathlon Team *Spark Florida - The Official Team

None of us our in a position to tell you what your breathing issues could be caused from that is best asked of your doctor, however I will add that your training must be individualized to what your body can do regardless of the mileage your peers are running or even your training schedule recommends. This is why I am not a big fan of generic training plans...for some they can be too aggressive. One of the tell-tale signs of not enough recovery is heavy legs. And don't forget that if you are under a lot of stress, this too can have an effect on our recovery, something many runners fail to understand. The body cannot differentiate between physical stress (running, cross training, etc) and emotional stress, therefore, our bodies develop coping means.

My suggestion would be to take some time off from running (remember this is a life-long journey) and maybe some cross training for a week or so, see your doc just to make sure you have a clean bill of health and then slowly begin your base building. I also recommend that once you return to running you keep a running journal so that should you develop issues again, you may be able to determine the proper amount of training best suited for you.

A really GREAT book that will help you understand the need for recovery is Sage Rountree's book The Athlete's Guide to Recovery. Very insightful.

I am 53 and average about 50 miles a week. I have Lupus, RA and kidney disease. So it is possible to run at a more "mature" age and have serious medical conditions. However, your symptom of leg heaviness concerns me. Get a complete physical and lab workup. Have them check for Lupus and related problems as well as your thyroid as indicated below. I am no doctor but some of your symptoms are so similar to my symptoms when I am having a major flareup. On the other hand, it could be over training too. But get your symptoms checked out thoroughly.

I'm 61. I started running in early February, got hooked, and trained a lot. In May I made my goal weight. I did 2 5Ks within a week with a breathing problem. WIth 48 hours, I was in the hospital for a week with Pneumonia. See a doctor now. Check it out and you will be better for it, no matter what. Since then, I definitely listen to my body!

Oh, in the aftermath and follow-up, my doctor advised me that I could continue cardio and strength training but to stay with 5Ks. ( I was considering 10Ks and HMs) There was no need to push the envelope. I've run five 5Ks since being cleared in June and my times have improved at every race.

Be safe. Run strong.

Edited by: MIRAGE727 at: 11/7/2011 (13:54)

Monty, Team Leader *SparkPeople's 5K Your Way Running Challenge*Spark Triathlon Team *Spark Florida - The Official Team

This is not normal, but some of the symptoms sound familiar to me. Have you had your thyroid levels checked? Hypothyroidism is extremely common for women our age (I'm 48) and is easily treatable. Overtraining can have similar symptoms so that is a possibility. I have found that reducing stress levels in all areas of life also helps by reducing the workload for the adrenal glands. The Maffetone method of running takes all these life style issues into account. If you are interested take a look at Phil Maffetone's "The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing" or take a look at my blog where I've talked about it for the last couple of weeks.

I'm no expert, but I hear you with the heavy leg thing. I remember reading an article that "master runners" don't need to run every day. I'm starting to believe this. I have started to do the walk/run method and my hips say thank you. I have not had the heavy leg feeling either. So I say, your body might want you to walk just a little more without feeling guilty. I run for the enjoyment, I'm not in any competion. I have started to do more strength training/yoga/pilates. I'm like you. I'm 47, but I like to act like my kids' age (So .... I'm really 13!)

Turned 49 this past August and I don't feel like my age at all. I've been running for 4 years now. However, in March '11 I started to have problems with my breathing. Felt constricted and coughed a lot, legs felt so heavy I could hardly move them. Went to see the doc and she put me on a daily inhaler for excercised asthma. I could live with that. Things got better, but now I'm having problems with my breathing, leg heaviness and some hip stiffness. Is it age or just overtraining? I run 4-5 times a week (3-5 miles) with treadmill workouts in the gym when I can't be outside. I thought it was the hill workouts on the treadmill causing issues. I run in a 5K or 10K every month to keep motivated to run. Lift weights, elliptical, and some walking thrown in on my lunch hours.

I wonder if it could be the 2 half marathons I've competed in? Since the last one was in Oct.'10 and I noticed the first real problems in March? Hmmmm my hubby could be right about this. He thinks it was just too hard on my body. Maybe I need to go back to running every other day with some other type cardio on the days I don't run. Any one have any other ideas out there? It's so frustrating to start a 3 mile run just to stop and walk some of it! I've never had to stop and walk since starting out 4 years ago. I feel like I'm going backwards instead of forward.

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